Smith DTh Thesis (final).pdf - South African Theological Seminary

Chapter 4: Analysis of Psalms 3-84:7-9 Statement of confidence The final stanza closes with anexpression of confidence in Yahweh.In the above layout, verses 2-6 are divided based on whom the psalmist isaddressing—God (v. 2) and men (vv. 3-6). 35The structural analysis suggested by Terrien (2003; cf. Craigie 1998) doesmore justice to the balance and rhythm of the psalm. Terrien sees the psalmas consisting of three strophes, with each strophe consisting of threesubstrophes. 36The first strophe (vv. 2-4) is marked by inclusio, the use of בְ‏ רָ‏ שְ‏ אִ‏ י (“when Icall”) at its opening and closing boundaries. It contains three substrophes: (a)an invocation for Yahweh to hear the psalmist’s prayer (v. 2); (b) a pleaaddressed to the protestors, indicating the reason for the psalmist’s lament (v.35 Robert Alden (1974) suggested a chiastic understanding of the structure of Psalm 4, but hisanalysis seems strained.36 Christensen’s (2005b) logoprosodic analysis led him to a similar view of the structure ofPsalm 4. He divides it into three cantos, namely, (1) 4:1-3, (2) 4:4-6 and (3) 4:7-9. Except forincluding the heading in his structure and grouping verse 4 with verses 5-6 instead of withverses 2-3, his view of the psalm’s macrostructure is similar to Terrien’s.112